Extreme near-shore wave events

The department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Limerick invites you to a seminar by Dr James Herterich (University College Dublin):

Title: Extreme near-shore wave events

Abstract: Extreme near-shore wave events Storm waves and surges can cause major coastal damage. A wave packet approaching a cliff is amplified by reflection, interference, dispersion, and bathymetric effects. The resulting cliff impact and overtopping flows are enhanced. Boulder deposits are supratidal accumulations of coarse clasts found up to 50 m above high water and up to 250 m inland of the high-tide mark. The clasts contain rocks from small pebbles to very large boulders (VLBs), i.e., megaclasts greater than 100 tonnes. Boulder deposits occur worldwide. They are wave-deposited, but debate continues as to whether storms or tsunamis are the major cause. The Aran Islands provide evidence for the case of storm waves, due to the lack of Atlantic tsunamis in recent centuries. Both boulder creation and movement have been identified and tracked after winter storms in recent years. These studies have shown significant movement due to storm waves, even for the case of VLBs. This talk will introduce a collaborative project (geophysics, applied mathematics, experiments) and discuss many features including wave amplification, wave breaking, cliff impact, onshore boulder transport.

This seminar will take place on Friday 7th April , at 4pm, in Room A2-002.

If you have any questions regarding this seminar, please direct them to Iain Moyles (061 233726, iain.moyles@ul.ie).

Supported by Science Foundation Ireland funding, MACSI - the Mathematics Applications Consortium for Science and Industry (www.macsi.ul.ie), centred at the University of Limerick, is dedicated to the mathematical modelling and solution of problems which arise in science, engineering and industry in Ireland.